Mechanical tractor toy



May 1, 1934. s. BERGER MECHANICAL TRACTOR TOY Filed Sept. 25, 1931.- 2 Sheets-Sheet l km mm INVENTOR Jamae/[fie/yer BY i .CK L/ A #62,?

' ATTORNEYS May 1, 1934. s. I. BERGER MECHANICAL TRACTOR TOY Filed Sept. 25, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Samuel [fie/yer ATTORNEYS f atentecl May I, 193 4 UNETED STATES PATENT GFFECE 3 Claims.

My present invention relates more particular- 1y to mechanically operated toys and while certain aspects thereof are of wider application to mechanical toys generally whether capable of locomotion or not, the invention is applicable more especially to toys of the type performing slow lumbering locomotion such as tractor or steam roller toys.

An object of the invention is to provide a toy of the above type which shall be capable of enhanced choice of control including not only the usual starting and stopping but also a reversal of motion as well, according to the will of the operator.

Another object is to provide a toy of the above type of high order of stability which permits the manual controlling operations contemplated without requirement for particular skill to avoid upsetting the toy.

Another object is to provide a toy of the above type capable of performing the foregoing functions without resort to auxiliary props or protuberances that detract from the realism of the appearance and in which in fact an appearance of particular power and ruggedness is forcefully suggested.

Another object is to provide a toy of the above type which shall have enhanced obstacle climbing capablities and which shall be unlikely to turn over in the course of negotiating a particularly steep obstacle.

Another object is to provide a toy of the above type of particularly simple and rugged construction, easy to'produce at relatively small expense from more or less conventional stampings.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of the tractor,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross-section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross-section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a transverse cross-section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional View of a detail.

Having reference to the accompanying drawings there is shown a sheet metal hood constituting an inverted generally rectangular box of generally conventional construction, preferably provided however with an extension 11 at the rear end thereof shaped as at 12 to simulate the drivers seat and the seat 13 on which the removable figure of the driver, not shown, may be positioned.

Through the rear end of the hood extends a driving axle 14, mounting on the ends thereof traction wheels 15 and forward thereof extends a driven axle 16, mounting on the ends thereof traction wheels 17. The wheels 15 and 17 are connected by caterpillar traction belts 18 of rubber provided with transverse teeth or corruga" tions 19 of type known in the art. Through the extension 11 there extends another driven axle 20 mounting on the ends thereof traction wheels 21 each of which is provided with a rubber tread 22 having corrugations or teeth 23 similar to those on the traction belt 18. A sprocket wheel 24 on the driving axle 14 is connected by means of a sprocket chain 25 to another sprocket wheel 26 on the driven axle 20 to effect a positive drive of the forward driven axle 20.

A spring motor drives the device and this comprises the usual coil spring S in a casing 27 adapted to be wound by the stem 23 affixed through and terminating in key 29 protruding from one side of the case. Coaxial with the stem 28 and the motor is a gear 30 permanently en meshed with a gear 31 loosely mounted on the driving shaft 14. Gear 31 has ports 32 therein for the prongs 33 of a clutch member 34 keyed as at 35 upon the shaft 14. Thus when the clutch 34- is set in the position shown in Fig. 4 the motor during operation will through gear 30, gear 31 and clutch 34, drive the shaft 14 in advance direction. The gear 30 also meshes with a crown gear 36 on a counter-shaft pin 37, the hub 33 of which gear mounts a stamped metal gear 39 meshing with a gear 40 similar to gear 31 and loosely mounted upon shaft 14. Gear 40 has openings 41 adapted to be engaged by prongs 42 on the left face of the clutch member 34. Thus if the clutch member is shifted to disengage prongs 33 from gear 32 and to engage prongs 42 with gear 40, the drive of the shaft 14 would be reversed for it would then take place from the motor through the gear 30, crown gear 36, gear 39 and gear 40.

To effect the setting of the clutch 34 the latter is provided with a setting yoke 43, the fork 44 of which stradles the rub 45 of the clutch. The yoke is pivoted at 46 about a vertical axis and has an operating arm 4'7 extending at right angles thereto. This operating arm is connected by means of a pitman wire link 48 hooked thereto at one end as at 49 and the opposite end is hooked at 51 to the lower end of a lever 50. Lever is pivoted as at 52 in the extension section 11 of the hood and protrudes upward therefrom as at 53 in the manner of an operating lever. The yoke 43 has a nose 54 at its free end coacting with a leaf spring 55 bent as at 56 and anchored at its ends 57 to the opposite sides of the casing. Thus it will be seen that by shifting the lever 53 from the position shown, the pitman 48 will shift the nose 54 of the yoke past the angle 56 of the spring whereupon the latter will snap the yoke over by a spring toggle action to force the clutch to reverse position and thereby reverse the direction of locomotion of the toy. Lever 53 can be returned at will to original position to again reverse the direction of locomotion to resume the original forward locomotion.

The drive gear on the motor shaft also coacts with a train of gearing comprising pinion 60, gear 61, pinion 62, gear 63 and pinion 64 all in a housing 65. Pinion 64 drives a governor shaft 66 mounting a centrifugal governor leaf 6'? the end 68 of which exerts a braking action by coaction with the side wall of the housing. The great multiplication of speed due to this train of gearing imposes a retarding load on the motor controlled by the centrifugal governor to effect 25 :the extremely slow and conspicuously powerful evolution of force characteristic of tractors. Coacting with the governor is a brake lever '70 pivoted at 71 to the side wall of the frame. To the lower end of the lever 71 is hooked as at 72 *apitman wire '73 extending forward therefrom with its opposite end hooked as at '74 to the lower end of the brake lever 75 pivoted at 76 at the extension 11 and protruding upward as at '77 in a region contiguous to the reversing lever 53. By shifting the lever 7'7 the reversely bent end '78 of the brake bar '70 enters in the path of motion of thecentrifugal governor 67, looking the same and with'itthe entire operating mechanism.

The motor being wound up and the brake re- ;leased, the toy will advance very slowly while the transmission purrs realistically and by reason of its long wheel base with three pairs of wheels, each-equipped with tread. the vehicles will have extraordinary ad surprising climbing capabili- -;ties,-readily negotiating steep obstacles and steep declines, without upsetting. By manipulation of the reversing lever 53 the direction of locomotion is instantly. reversed and in such reversing operation the pressure of the hand laid on the ex- ;tension 11 and the application of the thumb to the lever has no tendency whatsoever to upset the toy since this mechanical effort is applied directly between the forward and the main driving axle.

It will thus be seen that there is herein describedapparatus in which the several features of this invention are embodied, and which apparatus in its action attains the various objects of the invention and is well suited to meet the requirements of practical use.

5 As many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters'Patent is:

1. A toy tractor comprising an elongated body having a spring motor mounted therein and including an extension for the driver beyond the spring motor, two pairs of axles through the body near the ends thereof, one of said axles driven directly from the motor, traction wheels on the ends of said axles, traction belts on said Wheels, a third axle at the driver extension, 21. third pair of traction wheels thereon, a flexible drive to said third axle from the driving axle, manual control levers at the drivers seat and means connecting said control levers with respect to the motor.

2. A toy tractor comprising an elongated body. having a spring motor mounted therein and in-.

cluding an extension for the driver beyond-the spring. motor, two pairs of axles through the body.

nearthe ends thereof, one of said axles driven die rectly from the motor, traction wheels on the ends of said axles, traction belts on said wheels, a thirdaxle at thedriver extension, a third pair of traction wheels thereon and a flexible drive to said third axle from the driving axle, manual con-- trol levers at the drivers seat and means connecting said control levers with respect tethemotor.

3. A mechanical tractor toy comprising a housing having an extension for a drivers seat, a

spring motor in said housing, a driving axle, a driven axle a third traction axle under said drivers seat, traction wheels on the respective axles a driving chain connecting said third axle with the drivingaxle, a reversible transmission between said motor andsaid driving axle, a train of loading gearing driven from said motor, a

governor driven thereby and controlling theslow speed of the motor, a brake lever associated with said governor, a pair of control levers near opposite sides of one and the sam end of the casing, one of said levers constituting a reversing lever,-

connected; said pitman links extending substantially along opposite lateral walls of the housing.

SAMUEL I, BERGER. 

